A Cork doctor has warned parents of the side effects that their teenager may experience if they are consuming a drink that is very popular among teenagers.
Caffeine is becoming increasingly popular among young people, with the surge in popularity of influencer and celebrity-endorsed energy drinks, and they are likely being consumed in vast amounts by teenagers who are studying for their exams.
We are almost at exam season, and studying is ramping up at the moment. Teens are likely feeling the pressure, tired from a long two years and doing whatever they can to get through the last month or so.
This may include drinking copious amounts of coffee or energy drinks such as Monster.
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Cork doctor warns parents about teens and energy drinks
Taking to Instagram, Cork-based paediatrician Dr Niamh Lynch told parents they need to be cautious about how much their teenagers are drinking these beverages, though, as they are not as helpful as they may think.
She began her message: ‘If your teenager is drinking lots of cans of Monster to help with the late-night study sessions, then you need to know a couple of things.’
Dr Lynch went on to say that Monster, in particular, has 160mg of caffeine, which is the equivalent of two cups of coffee.
‘So if they’re having multiple cans of Monster in the day, they are consuming a lot of caffeine.’ The mum added that while caffeine can be beneficial ‘in smaller amounts’, higher levels ‘can lead to feelings of anxiety’.
‘It can lead to a sensation of heart racing. It makes the heart beat faster and it can actually impair concentration and it can also impede your teenager’s ability to fall asleep which will have a knock-on effect on concentration and alertness the next day.’
This really goes against the whole reason your teenager is drinking these beverages in the first place.
The doctor urges parents to try and encourage their teens to limit energy drinks to one per day while they are studying, and also to try and ensure that they have it before 1pm.
‘Because if they drink it after that, it’ll have a knock-on effect on their sleep and that’ll lead to trouble the next day and the need for more cans.’
‘Teens love their energy drinks, but they can have the opposite effect than intended, and may end up making them tired, or harming their health,’ Dr Lynch added in the caption.
Is your teen a fan of these drinks?
